Apparatus for stage illusions.



L. MCCORMICK.

APPARATUS FOR STAGE ILLUSIONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR! 16, 1914.

1 131 .15]... Patented Mar.9,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

I7? V6 50 W w/mmw; Z 7% 607%56 1 THE {VORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO-LITHO, WASHINGTON, D. C.

L. MCCORMICK.

APPARATUS FOR STAGE ILLUSIONS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.16, 1914.

1,131,151., Patented Mar.9,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHC WASHINGTON, D. C.

L. MQGOBMIOK.

APPARATUS FOR STAGE ILLUSIONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-.16, 1914.

L13L15L Patented ManQ, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Win s 5 L. 607 7 1 if.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOTG-LITHO., WASHINGTON. D. c.

nanenorv MCCORMICK, or tonnoiv, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

arrasa'rus FOR STAGE intrusions.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915..

Application filed March 16, 1914. Sam No. 825,138.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LANGDON MoCoRMroK, a citizen of the American Republic,-and resident of 22 Tavistock Square, London, Eng land, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Stage Illusions, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable others Skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a stage illusion of the kind in which a burning fire is represented by the blowing of colored streamers or ribbons and the employment of electric lamps in" conjunction therewith.

An object of the present'invention is to make the fire appearance more realistic and this is accomplished by using a structure, for example a structure representing a tree trunk which is in whole or part moved or altered in such a manner as will make it appear that the structure is being burnt down. For example the trunk can be deformed, say telescoped and the fire may be made more fierce by employing rotating or other moving frames which reflect the light of the electric lamps and in their rotation make it appear that the flames of the fire are dense and are rising rapidly, or the said moving parts may carry lights up- Wardly.

The fire appearance may be still further enhanced in known manner by the employment of steam which is passed upwardly through the structure to represent smoke and 1 may, if desired, employ the steam to drive the rotating parts of the apparatus.

The structure may be altered in shape and its parts may be moved in many ways, for example, if a tree trunk is represented it may be made to telescope so as to appear to be burnt down, portions of the bark of the tree may be made to fall ofi and reveal a burning interior and the fire in the trunk may be represented by a rotating worm or spiral, or more than one, vertically arranged in the tree trunk, while a rotating horizontal spindle at the top of the trunk may carry flames of bright metal or other suitable material which appear to be rising upwardly out of the tree, or the rising fire may be represented by numerous small electric lamps on suitable endless belts or conveyers running over horizontal rollers so placed in the structure that from one side, the side next the audience, the lamps are rapidly traveling upwardly, or the lamps may be stationand an endless perforated screen may be caused to travel in front of them so that the light 1s seen through the perforations and appears to move upwardly.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a tree trunk having interior rotary members and moving exterior portions. Fig. 2 1s another view of a section of a tree trunk like that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view about the line A B of the trunk shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 show details. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the representation of a tree trunk made to telescope. Fig. 7 represents another trunk havlng in it an endless band carrying lamps and furnished with a branch adapted to fall downwardly. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of a part of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the trunk 1 is hollow and is internally illuminated by lamps 2, the light of which is clearly seen through the gap 1 in the trunk side. A vertical spindle 3 is fitted, centrally and carries a spiral blade or worm 4 having a light reflecting substance and a horizontal spindle 5 at the top of the tree carries a number of irregularly arranged bright blades 6. The spindle 3 is rotated by steam from the nozzle 7 directed against the blade wheel 8 which drives the toothed wheels 9 and 10 and the spindle 5 is rotated by steam from the nozzle 11 directed against the blade wheel 12.

Portions 13, 14, 15 and 16 of the tree trunk represent pieces of bark or slabs of the trunk which give the appearance of being on fire and of moving away or falling off from the main part. The portion 13 has a spindle and spiral blade 17 driven by chain 81 and wheels 80. Portion 14 is furnished with a corrugated mirror on its inner surface. Portion 15 is without a mirror and is arranged outside portion 16. The portions 13, 14 and 15 are on vertical pivots and the portion 16 is on horizontal pivots. Each portion is moved when the fire is in progress, by any suitable means.

In operation steam is admitted to the pipes carrying the nozzles 7 and 11 and sets the spindles 3 and 5 in motion, the lamps are lighted and are reflected by the spiral blade 4 and the blades 6 which give the appearance of rising flames. At suitable intervals the parts 13, 14, 15 and 16 are moved and represent burning portion of the bark. The

blades .6, the spiral 4 and other parts may be furnished with streamers if desired.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the top of the tree trunk l is shown and the spindle 18, equivalent .to spindle 5 in Fig. 1, is furnished with blades 19 which represent flames and which are driven by gear 20 from the central spindle 21. The blades 19 are so arranged with relation to the lamps 22 that as they pass the lamp a blinking effect is obtained.

In Fig. 6 the tree trunk is in three parts 23, 24 and 25 of which 25 telescopes in 24 and 24 telescopes in 23. In this example an air blower 26 is provided and has two deliv- -ery tubes 27'and 28. 'The part 23 has acentraltube 29 adapted to receive the'central 'tu be 30 of the part 24 which receives the central rod 31 of the part 25. The-rod 31 carries lamps 32 and a ring 33 on which are a number of small streamers or ribbons 34. The tube 30 has a ring 35 and ribbons or streamers 36 and the tube 29 has ribbons or V streamers 37.

- In operation the air from the blower 26 blows the short streamers 34 upwardly and they resemble small flames at the top of the tree trunk. The portion 25 slowly descends into the portion 24 and reveals the larger streamers 36 which appearto increase the fire and when the part 24 has descended into the part 23 the largest streamers'37 are shown and'the fire appears fierce. As the part 24 descends its lower edge strikes an arm 38 in a movable portion 39- of the tree trunk and pushes it down thus making a hole in the trunk and revealing the light from the lamps 40 and the streamers 41 which make it appear that the fire was broken out at the side of the now greatly reduced tree.

I Fig 7'shows a hollow tree trunk 41, having an open front not shown, in which is an endless band 42 carrying small electric lamps 43. The 'band42 is mounted on rollers 44 and 45 of which 44 is rotated by the motor 46 through the gear 47. The rollers 44 and 45 are mounted on pivoted cradles 48 and 49 respectively and these may be moved on their pivots so as to turnthe rollers and the band and thus vary the intensity of the light seen through the open front of the trunk. 'At the top of the trunk a spindle 50 carries irregular blades 51 on which are electric lamps 52; these blades answer the same purpose as the blades 19 in Fig. 5, and are rotated from the motor 46 by cords 53 and 54. A branch 55 extends from the tree trunk and'is pivoted at 56 thereto., The branch is made-to fall downwardly by means not shown and has in it anendless band 57 with lamps running over rollers 58 and 59. This band is driven from the motor 46 by p the cord. 60, which may be slightly elastic.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for The driving gear from the motor 46 is clearly shown in Fig. 8. When the tree trunk is to appear to be burning, the motor is started, the current is switched onto the lamps on the bands 42 and 57 and on the blades 51. After some time the branch is allowed to drop downwardly as though it was being burnt off. Streamers of light material may be attached to the apparatus as and when required.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. Apparatus for producing stageillusions comprising a structure, electric lamps in the structure, rotatable members comprising reflectors adapted to intensify the light of said lamps located within the structure, means for driving the said members and means for creating an updraft of air through the structure.

2. Apparatus for producing stage illusions comprising a structure, electric lamps in the structure, rotatable members in the structure, steam pipes and nozzles to rotate the members and means to produce an updraft through the structure.

3. Apparatus for producing stageillusions comprising a structure representing a tree trunk made in sections to telescope, streamers of light fabric attached to the sections, electric lamps in the trunk and a. blower for producing an updraft of air through the trunk.

through the trunk and to cause a movement of said movable members.

(3. Apparatus for producing stage illusions comprising the" representation of a tree trunk, colored electric lamps within the trunk, rotatable members in the trunk adapted to reflect the light from said lamps, means for rotating said rotatable members and a branch capable of being moved to and fro.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

LANGDON MCCORMICK.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

